Antibiotics for surgical prophylaxis

Abstract

Surgical antibiotic prophylaxis is defined as the use of antibiotics to prevent infections at the surgical site. Prophylaxis has become the standard of care for contaminated and clean-contaminated surgery and for surgery involving insertion of artificial devices. The antibiotic selected should only cover the likely pathogens. It should be given at the correct time. For most parenteral antibiotics this is usually on induction of anaesthesia. A single dose of antibiotic is usually sufficient if the duration of surgery is four hours or less. Inappropriate use of antibiotics for surgical prophylaxis increases both cost and the selective pressure favouring the emergence of resistant bacteria.